According to the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) 2023, West Bengal reported the highest number of species followed by Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh.
- The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) 2023 was conducted by the Bird Count India (BCI) during across 35 States and Union Territories from February 17-20.
- BCI is an informal partnership of organisations and groups working together to increase collective knowledge about bird distributions and populations.
- India was among 190 countries that participated in GBBC 2023, an annual event that brings bird enthusiasts, students and nature enthusiasts together for counting birds they see around the places where they live, work or study.
- The GBBC was launched in 1998. Bird Count India organises the GBBC in the country.
Key findings
- Kerala recorded the highest number of checklists of birds. A bird checklist is a list of all the different bird species which occur within a specific area.
- More than 46,000 checklists and a total of 1,067 avian species were uploaded on e-Bird, an online platform to record bird observations.
- West Bengal reported 489 species, the most among the 35 participating States and Union Territories.
- Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Karnataka followed with 426, 407, 397 and 371 species respectively.
- Tamil Nadu and Kerala took the eighth and ninth spots with 349 and 325 species.
- Kerala, however, took the top spot in the checklist category by uploading 9,768 lists of birds.
- Maharashtra with 7,414 lists and Tamil Nadu with 6,098 were placed second and third.
- Pune birders uploaded more than 5,900 lists, the most among urban centres.
- The data contributed by citizen scientists are used by scientists and conservationists to better understand and protect bird species.
